With the evergrowing importance of social media marketing, small business owners feel lost in the world of algorithms and their businesses pay the price.
Rather than relying on trial and error to find what works best for their brand, businesses turn to social media experts. Whether it’s hiring a full-time team member or contracting a marketing agency, businesses are investing in their social media marketing like never before.
But what about small businesses that can’t afford to hire somebody on a regular basis?
That’s where the Social Media VIP Day comes in.
What is a Social Media VIP Day?
A Social Media VIP Day is an intensive, one-on-one consultation where an expert develops a personalized social media strategy for the business.
Usually offered by digital marketing agencies and freelancers, the service typically includes a social media audit, strategy, and action plan to guide small businesses in their social media marketing.
In order to see real results on social media, it’s important to understand that there’s no “one-size-fits-all” approach. Each brand has different goals and audiences, so what works for one business may not work for another.
That’s what makes Social Media VIP Days such a valuable experience for small businesses. Throughout the process, the service provider takes time to understand the brand’s vision and business goals in order to develop a social media strategy designed to get real, valuable results.
What’s included in a Social Media VIP Day?
The Social Media VIP Day experience varies based on the service provider, but there are a few key deliverables that can be expected across the board.
Social Media Audit
Before the VIP Day, the marketing expert will take a close look at the business’s current social media accounts to get a better understanding of the brand and identify opportunities for improvement.
Pre-Call Questionnaire
Prior to most Social Media VIP Days, business owners are responsible for completing a questionnaire that dives into their brand values, tone, and overall business goals.
Consultation Call (aka the VIP Day)
Once the audit and questionnaire are complete, the marketing expert and business owner will schedule a consultation call to discuss their findings. This consultation call is lengthier than most, usually ranging from 3-6 hours long. The consultation call is an opportunity for the marketing expert to get further clarity on the brand and business goals before developing the final strategy.
Social Media Strategy
Following the consultation call, the marketing expert will compile all of the information they gathered and use it to develop an in-depth social media strategy. This is delivered to the business owner with an explanation of how to use it moving forward. The social media strategy covers every aspect of marketing on social media including…
- How frequently to post
- Best days and times to post
- Type of content to post
- Topics to post about
- Community engagement
- Hashtag strategy
- Profile and content optimization
Additional Deliverables
In addition to the audit, questionnaire, consultation call, and strategy, Social Media VIP Days may also offer additional deliverables to help make the strategy implementation easier for the business owner.
For example, the Social Media VIP Day from True Blue Creatives also includes social media post templates, goals and metrics trackers, daily and monthly checklists, and a 60-minute follow-up call.
How much does a Social Media VIP Day cost?
Like any service, the cost of a Social Media VIP Day will vary depending on the service provider. The price varies based on the number of social media platforms included in the service, as well as the final deliverables. Most Social Media VIP Days cost between $1000 – $5500.
While this can be a large investment for small businesses, it is a more affordable option than hiring somebody to fully manage your social media on a long-term basis.
What can I expect from my Social Media VIP Day?
Since the Social Media VIP Day is a one-time, intensive consultation, it’s important to understand what to expect throughout the entire process. Every Social Media VIP Day is organized differently based on the service provider, but most follow a similar overall structure.
Before the VIP Day
After booking a Social Media VIP Day, there is a period of time before the VIP Day (aka consultation call) where the service provider spends time researching the brand and collecting information about your business.
Often, service providers will send an in-depth questionnaire that covers questions like:
- Who is your ideal customer/client?
- Where do you see your business in 3 months? 6 months? 1 year?
- How would you describe your brand persona?
- How much time do you have to commit to social media each week?
The questionnaire can take anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours to complete, depending on how many questions there are and how detailed your responses are.
Meanwhile, as you’re completing the questionnaire, service providers spend time completing the social media audit, researching competitors, and learning about the brand.
The VIP Day
The VIP Day itself is a consultation call that usually lasts between 3-6 hours. While this sounds daunting, there are breaks scheduled throughout the day so you have time to refresh.
During the call itself, the service provider will walk through the findings of their social media audit and competitor research. They will give you recommendations for optimizing your profile, point out opportunities for improvement, and give insight into your overall strategy.
While the VIP Day experience will vary, most service providers have it structured in a way that naturally flows through your brand’s vision, business goals, and overall social media strategy. They will often ask for clarity on the information you provided in the questionnaire and begin brainstorming directions for your brand’s strategy.
The consultation call is the last chance for the service provider to truly understand your brand and business goals before fully developing the social media strategy, so use this as an opportunity to clarify anything you think they may be missing.
After the VIP Day
Following your VIP Day, the service provider will take all of the information and compile it into an in-depth social media strategy.
This is usually delivered in the form of a presentation or booklet, so you can continue to reference it or share it with your team. Most service providers will also include a screen recording walking through the strategy, giving you the information you need to effectively implement it.
Depending on what your Social Media VIP Day includes, this is also when the service provider will send any additional deliverables like call recordings, templates, and action checklists. From there, you’ll have the resources and guidance to start implementing the strategy and growing your social media presence!
How do I know if a Social Media VIP Day is right for my business?
If you’ve made it this far, it’s most likely that a Social Media VIP Day is a good fit for your small business. However, it is important that you feel 100% confident this is the right choice for you before committing your time and money to this service.
The Social Media VIP Day is right for you if…
- You’ve been consistently posting on social media but have not seen any real-world results from your efforts.
- You are ready to commit the time to post on social media, but you’re not sure where to start.
- You have the budget to invest in this one-time service, but don’t have the budget to hire a social media manager/agency on an ongoing basis.
This is not right for you if…
- You know you don’t have time time to consistently post on social media and don’t feel confident that you would have the capacity to implement the strategy.
- You are looking for a solution that allows you to completely hand off social media management.
- You’re not ready to commit the time to complete the pre-call homework or implement the strategy following the VIP Day.
- You do not have an established brand identity. If you’re looking for help establishing your visual branding and brand persona, a brand strategy session might be a better fit.
Luckily, most service providers have an application process to ensure the Social Media VIP Day is right for your business. If they think that your business would not benefit from a VIP Day, they will recommend a service better fit to meet your needs.
How do I book a Social Media VIP Day?
Start by finding a service provider that you believe is a good fit for your business. In order to make the most of your Social Media VIP Day, it’s important to work with somebody you connect with and who is excited about your brand.
Once you find a service provider you want to work with, complete their application process or book a discovery call to see if their VIP Day is a good fit for you.
After both you and the service provider decide it is a good fit, the next step is to pay and book your consultation call. Most service providers offer two payment options: pay-in-full or a payment plan. With most payment plans, an initial deposit is required at booking and the remaining payments are due prior to your VIP Day.
Ready to develop a social media strategy for your small business? Named one of the best Chicago Social Media Marketing Agencies, True Blue Creatives is ready to help.
Learn more about our Social Media VIP Day and how we can help you scale your business on social media.